Moving On
by ncisduckie
Summary: Tony must move on after the death of what he realizes as his love. After he meets someone also hurt by her death, together they must move on. Rated T for character death and occasional harsh themes.
1. Letting GO

**Moving On**

Slamming the car door shut, I turn the key in the ignition starting my car up. Everything is fine physically as the doctor says, but the emotional pain leftover from the explosion still haunts my memory. I remember clearly the day when the NCIS building went down with the team. Our field team all suffered an injury upon impact. The only people spared were Jimmy and Ducky. But their luck ended there. Ducky suffered a heart attack on the beach barely saved when Palmer found him unconscious. Otherwise, it would have been bye bye birdy. Nobody on our team left the whole incident with a level head; we were all left dazed for the months that followed.

All eight of us, including Vance, had to be out of duty and pass psych evaluations before we could return to our jobs. Two months after the fact, I returned to work with a broken arm to see a confused middle aged woman staring at me from what used to be my desk. I remember how pissed she was when Vance came down with his assistant telling her I came back and she would no longer be needed. I waited quietly alone at my desk for minutes until the rest of the team returned. They were all happy I was almost fully recovered, but Tony was the happiest of them all. He and Abby gave me a huge group hug while still avoiding my hurt arm. I was welcomed with open arms and even though I was left to desk work because of my arm.

Even though I was well enough to work, I still had to go to weekly check-up to ensure I didn't strain my arm too much or acquire a concussion after the fat. I didn't understand how It could happen, but apparently it _has_ happened and my doctor just wants me to stay safe. Even the still recovering Ducky rolled his eyes, but Vance was paying for the doctor and told me if I stopped visiting, I wouldn't be allowed to work. Again, an eye roll from many. That's where I just finished up with when I got in my car. As I drive back to the NCIS building, I gaze at the leisurely pedestrians surrounding the road and sigh jealously at how they have almost no problem. To them, NCIS is just the federal agency that was blown up a few months back.

As I approach the two block mark until I finally reach the parking lot, I let instinct take over before I have to go back to Vance to tell him how I'm obviously fine. I'm so deep in my thoughts that I hardly register how I managed to swerve off of the road and don't even see the tree I'm rapidly approaching. Much too late, I try to turn the steering wheel haphazardly, trying to prevent any further injury to my already broken body. I gasp as my red Mini Cooper crashes into the tree and my body jerks forward. I feel my arm crush and ribs crack. As the blood pours down, I just let go.


	2. Death and a Familiar Face

**Moving On Ch.2**

"Where's David?" Vance calls from the halfway level from between the bullpen and his office. His gaze is intimidating to anyone who was employed after the explosion and didn't know him well enough to know it is just his normal gaze. A few people look up when they hear his voice, but shrug it off when they realize they have no idea who he is talking about.

An irritated head looks up from his computer and turns to face his boss, "I don't know _Director,_ maybe at that doctor's appointment you forced her to go to?" His voice is a low growl and he gives Vance a hard glare with his green eyes. The man, otherwise known as Tony DiNozzo, is frazzled by the question because he didn't want Ziva to go to the appointment today. He just had a gut feeling that something bad would occur. Something deep down a few minutes beforehand confirmed that something dire has happened to her. Is has been a few months since he realized that he loves the woman with all his heart, soul, and body. Though, he is too embarrassed to admit his feeling, he still keeps a protective bond on her as if she is actually his own and not an object of his desire. As far as he is concerned, she didn't know a thing about these feelings and can probably care less.

The Director sighs, "DiNozzo, It's for her own good. Please realize that." He gives the love-struck agent a gentler look than normal before regaining his level-headed composure. "Miss David's appointment was an hour and a half ago, she should have been back by now," he states, only a bit confused, not yet worried. "Have you heard from her?"

"She called thirty minutes ago to tell me she was about to get into her car," Tony says, calming down a little. Knowing the fact she called settles his mind because in his mind it means she has to be safe. "Shortly after, McGee went down to pick up lunch for the three of us. Abby and Gibbs went to go visit the Duck Man."

Tony's report strikes a nerve within Vance and him mind becomes unsteady, as if it is walking on eggshells. "She should have been back by now," he retorts aloud, not even attempting to calm down his tone or infliction on the statement.

Tony's face pales and he glances quickly at his phone. "I think I should call he—" The now uneasy agent is interrupted by the ringing of Gibbs's phone. Tony looks up at Vance for permission and he receives a sharp worried nod. "Agent Gibbs's desk, he answers smoothly as he picks up. His eyebrows furrow together as he listens to the person on the other end. "Hold up, McSpeedTalker. I can't understand you," Tony says calmly to the geek on the phone. There's a moment of silence as Tony takes in what is repeated. "Yes, I heard you, Tim. I'll be there ASAP. Call Gibbs and Abby." His face and tone are hard as he sets down the phone on the receiver.

Vance takes one look at the Senior Field Agent's face and his heart sinks. "What happened?"

As Tony takes a brief moment to recollect his thoughts, a young woman enters through the elevator door, escorted by a member of security. She turns into the bullpen just as Tony takes a deep breath, "Ziva died in a car crash seven minutes ago," he states solemnly, a single tear escaping his eye and down his cheek.

"No!" The woman cries, running fully into the bullpen. Her brown eyes already shine with tears as she looks desperately at Tony, trying to determine if he's lying. He curly brown hair hangs at her shoulders as her tang-top clad chest heaves.

Tony looks at her in bewilderment, trying to place a finger on why she looks so familiar. "Who are you?" he asks, his eyes narrowing slightly at the petite foreign looking girl. "Do I know you?"

She laughs a strained laugh and looks Tony straight in the eyes, "No, but I surely know you." Her voice carries a heavy Israeli accent that causes the said agent's jaw to drop. She matches his tear from before with two of her own. "I'm Ziva David's niece, pleased to make your acquaintance, Anthony DiNozzo."

**. . .**

**A/N: Please Review and Tell me how I'm doing!**


	3. Where am I?

**Moving On Ch.3**

**. . .**

"_"I'm Ziva David's niece, pleased to make your acquaintance, Anthony DiNozzo."_

**. . .**

He sputters and his eyes go wide in surprise. "W-What?" Tony blinks, a myriad of thoughts running through his head—not one of them making sense. He stares at her intently, the connection slowly coming forth in his mind. The Israeli accent. The wild curls. The teasing brown eyes.

Vance takes one look at the girl and becomes suspicious and proceeds to climb down the stairs and into the bullpen. "Your Name?" He asks firmly with a single eyebrow raised. He never knew of Ziva having a niece and he's sure she would tell him or at least Tony. One look at Tony and he could tell the agent had no idea up until then. _Does she have anything to do with Ziva's death?_ He ponders to himself.

"Leon Vance," she says with pursed lips, "Ziva told me a lot about you." She trails off as she remembers her aunt.

He rolls his eyes, " And yet she's told us nothing about you," he shoots back.

The girl smiles, deciding that it is safe to reveal her identity. Ziva told her about her boss and he fits the shoes quite well in her opinion. "Dahlia Haswari," she states, looking at Tony briefly for his reaction. If he is surprised, he shows it well because his face shows a mask of blank-ness. "I know what you're thinking," she tells Vance, "but I'm nothing like my fa-"

Realizing who her father is, Vance cuts the girl off before Tony puts two and two together. "My office. Now." He glances at Tony, "Go to her." Tony nods silently before walking slowly away. Though thick headed, Tony recognizes that Vance knows about his feelings for Ziva that developed after the accident. Vance thinks it cute, much like puppy dogs. Or Romeo and Juliet.

Tony pauses at the shiny elevator doors, remembering a few months ago. As he wipes a tear from his eye, Tony presses the down button. "Wait!" Dahlia calls before turning to Vance. "May I please go with him? To see her? I haven't seen Ziva… in three years." Her comment causes Tony to stop and try to figure out when Ziva was gone. In a whisper, she adds "Before my grandfather sent her to Somalia."

Trying to hide his bewilderment, Vance sighs and looks at Tony. The senior field agent shrugs as the doors open in front of him. Vance takes a deep breath and meets eyes again with Dahlia. "Yes. But you must remain with Agent DiNozzo the whole time. Because right now, you're at the top of the suspect list, Miss Haswari." His words are blunt and leave no room for misunderstanding.

Dahlia's eyes widen, but she doesn't object she mumbles a quick "Yes sir" before following Tony like a puppy.

**. . .**

I open my eyes to the sound of sirens and lout talking. I lay on the grass a few blocks away from the NCIS building with no idea of how I got there. I ease myself up and look around to see the caution tape surrounding me. _I must have tripped and hit my head at the scene_, I muse. I spot Gibb across the way and figure he will know what happened.

As I approach Gibbs not a single person looks my way. Not even Gibbs. I wave my hand in front of his face. "Gibbs?" I ask. Nothing. '_Must be his new way of telling me to get to work.'_ I roll my eyes slightly at his demeanor that seems unusual. He seems almost…sad.

Shrugging, I feel a bit of butterflies in the bottom of my stomach when I realize I should ask Tony what I should be doing. I twist my head and find him escorting someone—a witness?- under the tape. I crane my neck to see who the person is and when I notice person's curly hair, my jaw drops. Dahlia. "Tony! Dahlia!" I call out as I rush over them. They don't even look up. I huff and raise my hands to push him as I say childishly, "Don't ignore me!" I shove my hands out and they don't make contact. My hands instead push through and I recoil in horror.

"My poor Ziva," he mutters softly, looking sadly at something behind me. His eyes glaze over and my niece looks up at him in bewilderment. She senses something about Tony. "I'll love you forever," he whispers. Dahlia and I gasp and my gut jumps. I would never guess he would admit that aloud.

I wave my hand in front of his face desperately. Again, Nothing. I take a deep breath and reach on my toes to kiss him on the cheek. His hand flutters up to where my lips just lay, "God, it feels as if you are still here." His tears now fall openly and continuously.

'_I'm still here_' I want to say, but something stops me. Uneasily, I turn to face the direction of where everybody seems to be looking and scream.

I see my body ejected from my demolished Mini Cooper.

**. . .**

**A/N: I got a review telling me not to kill off Ziva. Well, it kind of happened. This was all planned out. I hope you guys like the twist at the end. *insert smiley face* Please Review!**


	4. Lies

**Moving On Ch.4**

**. . .**

I look at my bloody boy, terrified. _What happened?_ I wonder as I take tiny steps toward the scene. As if in a trance, I kneel beside my own body and press my hands to my face. I feel an electric-like current run through my body and recoil quickly. Still jumpy from the initial shock, I still look around my friends.

Abby clings to Gibbs, mascara mixing with her tears on their travel down her face. Gibbs stares off into the distance with his pale blue eyes. I watch Tony as he turns away from my body, his face pale and tearstained. Dahlia purses her lips and gazes at my body with a hard stare. I want to reach out and touch her face, but that's no longer possible. I was like a second mother to her after I killed Ari. Granted, as far as I knew, she didn't know I killed her father. Along with her mother, a woman long scorned by my half-brother, we kept her a secret from my father and Mossad. But as I study the sixteen year old girl standing next to my partner, I can't help but notice the fact she's hiding _something_. I try to shake off the suspicion and turn my head until I spot McGee and Palmer conversing quietly with Metro. "It was as if she wasn't paying attention-she's always paying attention when she drives," I hear McGee report. My heart sinks, he was there.

The officer nods and scribbles something down in his notepad. I hear him mumble a few more questions, but I'm not paying attention. Instead, I'm focused on the paramedics moving my body away from the scene and to the morgue. Beside the conversation between McGee, Palmer, and the locals, the scene is eerily dozens of pairs of eyes watch my body leave.

_Just moments after the collision, I groan and move my shoulders. I can only barely twitch them and I feel the blood running down both my chest and face. I glance down and gasp in horror at the sight. Blood soaks my clothing and bones jut out of my chest. Already numb, I can tell I am close to death but can stay alive only if I keep my eyes open. Battling my body against losing consciousness, I recall the past few months sadly. _

_ The explosion caused much distress among my NCIS family and most everything was just tense. I didn't get to do much around the bullpen and I had nothing to live for. Well, except for Tony. He hates seeing me upset does anything to cheer me up. Without him, I wouldn't have gotten this far. He certainly tries too hard and I know I can be a burden. He'd be better off with me dead, I'm sure of it. I think how happy he'll be with me gone and I smile. I just let go. _

_ I shake off the memory, perturbed. I blink and look around. Everybody is gone. I have no idea why I'm not with my body. Or in hell. I killed myself, so I am doomed to rot in hell, right? Either heaven or hell, I have to find a way for me—my spirit—to rest in peace. _

_. . . _

_ "_Who exactly are you, Miss Dahlia?" Leon asks, leaning over the interview table. His brown eyes match her own and his glare is intimidating to many, but not to Dahlia. Yet.

She arches her eyebrow, "I told you, my name is Dahlia Haswari. OR did you forget that already?" She sneers playfully, pushing his buttons. She intends to play this out as long as possible. She leans back in her chair and pretends to be uninterested. _Has he figured it out, yet?_

Vance pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes. "Yes, I understand that. I also understand the fact that you are the daughter of Ari Haswari, rogue Mossad agent working for Hamas. I also know you are granddaughter of my friend, Eli David, director of Mossad." With every item Vance brings up, Dahlia's eyes widen.

She looks up at him and she puts on a small and shaky voice, "How do you know that?" Dropping the game and initial coyness, Dahlia looks like a deer in the headlights. She's young and innocent. "Ziva promised me nobody knew." She's terrified of what will happen once someone finds out her past. Would they hate her? Nobody knows about her past. Hell, she didn't know the full extent of her history. Everything she knows comes from both her mother and Ziva. Her father, Ari, impregnated her mother and left her for America. He died there. Ziva arrived shortly after to help her mother before returning to America for her liaison with NCIS. At least, that's what she's been told. She is and was a family friend. She was always around and called Ziva her Aunt. Ziva would continue to write letters to both her and her mother. Sometimes, they would move shortly after a letter arrived, but Dahlia always accepted this, but she never knew why.

Vance smiles, for he finally causes the girl to begin to crack. "You just mention 'Haswari" to Ziva's co-workers and I _guarantee_ that at least one of them will mutter the word 'bastard.' Your father was a well hated person around here." Talking to Dahlia, Vance grows the urge to chew a toothpick, much like the habit he broke many years ago. Tough nuts like Dahlia were the reason he started to chew the damned things.

"Stop it," Dahlia chokes, hugging herself. "You know _nothing_ about my father. Nobody does!" She snarls. Ziva told her that her father was a good man. Ziva would never lie.

"Sure I do. I know who _killed _him." Vance taunts, thrilled he got this far by himself. He can tell she's close to revealing why she's here. "I'll tell you their name if you tell me _why _you are here."

Dahlia narrows her eyes, "You're the bastard." Pursing her lips, she picks at her nails. "I hope you fry in hell."

He tsk-es and shakes his head, "I just think you don't want to know the _truth._" He stares at Dahlia and she cowers under his gaze, the impeccable wall around her crumbling.

"Shut up!" She mutters, no longer looking at the director. He starts the taunting again and her head flies up. "I said SHUT UP!" she screeches, tears flying out her eyes.

During the uproar, Tony sneaks in. Watching it and taking this all in, he's about to intervene when _something_ stops him. He just stands in the doorway, his mouth agape.

Vance stands up and gets in Dahlia's face, "I think you don't want to know that your aunt—Ziva David—killed your father, her half-brother."

Dahlia gasps and slaps him across the cheek. "Liar!"

. . .

**A/N: Hey y'all, I hope everybody is still enjoying this story! I think it's amazing, but then again, it's my own story. I'm also posting this during the whole fanfiction boycott. *insert smiley face***


	5. For Me?

**Moving On Ch. 5**

**A/N: This is...still close to me. But after the last chapter, i lost all inspiration. And now, I'm back. This one's for Underground Fanfictioners, who unknowingly helped me through my cousin's death.**

I watch in sheer amusement and horror as Dahlia slaps Leon Across the face. Since he sent me back to Mossad ages ago, I have always wanted to do the same. But I value my job far too much to risk it. But watching my niece find out I killed her father is pure torture.

Vance hardly even recoils upon impact and he smiles as she screams at him. "I'll bet if you talk to Special Agent DiNozzo, you'll find out I'm telling the truth. Your aunt told him everything." He searches Dahlia's eyes. "But that's not the point. I wanted yo tell you that little secret in return for telling me why you come to town one of my best agents dies."

Dahlia's eyes widen and her face looks pained. "Y-you don't think I killed her, do you?" Vance nods and my theoretical heart drop. Could the girl I helped raise really be a murderer? No. I killed myself, didn't I?

. . .

Unable to cope with Vance's merciless interrogation, I escape the office. I used to live to walk into my place of work-especially the bullpen. Even in death, I still find myself drawn to the place.

I walk into the room, noticing the desk across from my own is also empty. Pondering to myself to where he might be I watch McGee glance over to the desk. He's wondering the same thing.

Speak of the devil-the elevator doors open to reveal Gibbs as he escorts a stricken Tony out. He pushes the senior agent into his desk and smacks him upside the head. "Snap out of it, DiNozzo. You'll make it through this." He tries to coax our favorite co-worker out of his comatose state.

I carefully walk over to his desk and place a hand on his shoulder. When I make contact, he straightens up and I swear he looks at me. "Ziva," he murmurs, a stray tear escaping. I try not to cry as one of the strongest man I know starts to cry. I've never seen him so open about his emotions. He always gives the illusion of strong with me during thick and thin.

Gibbs gives up and walks to his desk. Turning to McGee, he asks: "Anything on the girl? Dahlia?"

"Nothing yet," McGee admits. "Vance is questioning her as we speak." I glance over at him and his eyes are almost as puffy as Tony's. I never expected to see them cry. Especially not for me. There's no way for me to imagine Abby.

A slam of the door from upstairs causes everyone to look up. Dahlia stalks out of Vance's office. Tears stream down her face. She stomps down the stairs into the bullpen. Stopping in front of Tony, Dahlia takes in a deep breath. "Tony, can I stay with you?"


End file.
